Last week, my wife and I had a great time away for four days at our favorite beach location, Towers on the Grove, North Myrtle Beach, SC. We like the fact that it’s located at the northeast end of the Grand Strand, that the people population is sparse, and that the facilities are always clean, updated, and given constant attention.
On a personal note, having lived in Myrtle Beach in the late 60’s, time spent at the beach brings back many memories. In past vacation trips, I have driven by the house we lived in and found it in need of repair. Last week while driving down Ocean Boulevard in North Myrtle Beach, I saw where one of the Del-Mar Motel that remained from the 50-60’s era had been leveled. Then as we drove through other areas of the beach, we saw even more buildings that have deteriorated over the years.
Marriage is like a drive around Myrtle Beach. Just as a building/house needs constant upkeep to remain fresh, just like Towers on the Grove as opposed to the Del-Mar Inn, marriage needs daily attention to keep it fresh.
One truth, among others, that has guided Denise and me through our soon to be 36 years of marriage is this: You must work at your marriage every day. Marriage does not operate efficiently on auto-pilot. As a matter of fact, there is no default setting for marriage called auto-pilot. Today, your marriage is continuing to be fresh or it is deteriorating. The choice is totally up to you.
Look at your marriage. What areas need improvement, a “fresh coat of paint”? Is there a squeaky board or door that needs attention? How about some weeds in the front lawn that need to be replaced with some fresh flowers?
Ask the Lord in prayer to reveal what areas of your marriage need attention. Talk about it with your spouse. Come up with a plan of action, areas of change that will occur, what it will take to make this action work, and then dive into the project together! Enjoy the work! Stop and kiss every once-in-awhile. Hug each other. Text one another. Go back to the sweetness of dating days and do it again!
May I also add, do not take for granted any successful area of your marriage. As soon as you do, it won’t take long for the shutters to start clapping against the wall, if you know what I mean.
By the way, one of the major reasons Denise and I went away last week was to work on our marriage. We intentionally put these times in our calendar. Marriage is too precious of a gift from God to let it get old, cold, and decaying (Genesis 2:18-25; Ephesians 5:18-33).
A Towers marriage takes daily attention and prayer. A Del-Mar marriage ends up like this motel that was once a new motel that became known in latter years for bed-begs, drugs, and prostitution. Now it is no longer standing. Sadly, too many marriages become like the Del-Mar Inn.
Get to work, folks! The choice is yours. Start today!
From A Pastor's Heart 
Great illustration/analogy!